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Experiencing LIFE Today - December 9, 2013

2013Dec 09

COMMENTS

"Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving." —W. T. Purkiser

I have a concern. I'm afraid that when principles in Scripture look humongously impossible, Satan gets in there and discourages us to the point where we don't take even the smallest of steps to make those principles practical. Let's be honest. The world, our flesh, and even Satan bombard us with shortsighted, materialistic input a million times a day. The needs of the world seem so huge, and when we look at all we have, guilt can intervene, our flesh gets defensive, and we might think why even try?

Because every little bit is a blessing, that's why. Giving blesses us as the giver and blesses those who receive. And it's a great chance to learn to walk in the Spirit in new ways.

"In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" —Acts 20:35

Really, the only question left is where to give.

There are different options, of course. Maybe you could pay down your mortgage, or take a much needed vacation with your family. You could give it to your church and let them figure out what to do with it. Or maybe you heard about this problem in Puné, India, where the sex trade is running rampant. Young women who are forced to serve in the brothels have to try to "raise" their children in that unthinkable environment. You might think, "Yeah, I'll bet a little could go a long way to help provide an orphanage in a place like that." Media ministries are great opportunities too. Maybe you've surfed the web to Global Media Outreach and found out that using the internet, people at any corner of the globe can be reached for Christ for about a dime each.

If you are looking to put money in a place where it benefits the Kingdom the most, look to see if all of the blessings will be there:

The heart blessing: How will you grow from giving this gift?

The sibling blessing: Will this be a blessing to your brothers and sisters in Christ?

The missional blessing: Will this show others the grace of God and help further the Kingdom?

Search the Word and be sensitive to the specific leading of the Spirit. They will show you where and how much. Try it and be blessed!

Jesus, I don't want to walk in the flesh and I don't want to give in the flesh. Thank You for loving me extravagantly and unconditionally. Please remove any false sense of guilt or obligation from my heart so that I can give freely and generously as Your Word and Spirit lead! Amen.

It’s a challenge for most followers of Jesus Christ to live in a culture driven by values and views that run counter to our faith and to the truth of Scripture. And we wonder how best to relate.

Should we isolate ourselves from such a world, trying to keep ourselves “unstained”? Should we be intimidated by what our secular counterparts believe because we feel “out of step”? Then again, maybe we should identify more closely with the values of our world in order to win more people to Christ.

Stuart Briscoe takes you on a journey to discover how to live as a Christ follower in our fallen culture in his new small book, A Countercultural Life: Living Well in a Broken World. By looking at the life of Joseph (Genesis 37-50), Stuart shows you an excellent model for how we should indeed live in our world!

A Countercultural Life is our gift to thank you for your donation below, so please request your copy when you give. Thank you for helping others experience Life through Telling the Truth!